


' Yearning Peace and Clouded Honor.'

by RunePhoenix6769



Series: Clouded Peace and Burning Honor [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 20:15:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28551483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RunePhoenix6769/pseuds/RunePhoenix6769
Summary: After a fire bending training session shows the level of Ozai's cruelty. Azula's care is left to Ty Lee.(Companion piece to'Clouded Peace and Burning Honor.'
Relationships: Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar)
Series: Clouded Peace and Burning Honor [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1935745
Comments: 4
Kudos: 87





	' Yearning Peace and Clouded Honor.'

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Following the tiniest and most delicate of footprints -viscous and leaving a coppery tang in the air- Ty Lee is terrified.

Crimson against unforgiving black rock; she begins to quake forcing herself to keep going until she finds their destination -though in the pit of her stomach she already has some idea of where they lead. 

She desperately hopes that she is wrong! 

The footprints are so small and the implications too vast for Ty Lee to comprehend but she is gripped with a fear, as cold as she imagines the blizzards on the tundras of the Northern and Southern Water tribes to be, at what she might find. 

At the edges of the entrance that leads into Azula's bedroom, Ty Lee lingers -worrying at her bottom lip with her teeth- hovering in between abiding by rules and etiquette she is coming to learn is the oil that keeps the torches of the Caldera burning and the overwhelming desire to ignore them. 

_In times like this, when a Royal is possibly injured, surely their well being comes first?_

She has heard the older children whispering about the dark things that happen to servants who break the rules, rules that are so numerous to count they make her head spin. Most of them make no sense to the 11 year old Ty Lee anyway. But then again nothing at court makes sense to her and she is glad that Mai is usually there to stop her before she does something wrong or says something stupid.

But Mai isn't _here_ right now and the stifled, pained cries from within the room pull at Ty Lee's heart in a way that she can't ignore. 

There is nobody here but her and Azula is hurt in more ways than one.

_Worst comes to worse, she always pretend she didn't know any better. Right?_

And Ty Lee is so very good at _playing_ dumb, and recently she is beginning to suspect that it could be the best way to survive.

Besides, if she does get imprisoned her parents probably won't notice at first with her six other siblings always vying for their attention, _and_ she wouldn't have to share a room anymore. There would be a silver lining at least.

Sometimes a cloak of youthful, naive optimism is the only thing that can hold the dark things that lurk in the shadows at bay. But like hungry wolves strategically concealed in the tree line surrounding their worn down prey, it is only a matter of time before they break cover and give chase.

So out of character, the Princess doesn't notice her at first when she enters, or maybe it's because her footsteps are muffled by her woolly socks that often threaten to slip on the highly polished floorboards. Ty Lee knows deep down that isn't true. 

Careful not to step in the bloody trail, she makes her way across the room that is so large it could easily be the living quarters of a wealthy Caldera family. Navigating the vast space gives her time to think -to try make sense of everything that she is seeing. 

Right now, Ty Lee needs to focus. 

Azula's aura has shrunk -so small it is almost undetectable against the decor of the room if not for the bright red pulses and flashes and swirling blacks. And so has Azula dwarfed in her queen sized bed -curled with knees under her chin and her face buried in a pillow narrow shoulders racking with shakes- looking so small and vulnerable. 

It is alien, like the indents of creatures from long ago pressed into rock, to see the larger than life Princess so deflated and lifeless.

And Ty Lee **hates** it.

A myriad of questions come to the young girl's mind yet she knows to ask them would be nigh on pointless if not out right folly. She probably wouldn't get a straight answer anyways. Azula is top of their class in lessons of misdirection at the Fire Academy for Girls and already an accomplished liar. Better to allow the Princess to offer answers under her own steam. 

Ty Lee might not be good at misdirection but she _is_ good at hearing unspoken words that are so loud they are deafening.

Azula lashes out, trying to hide her feet with the comforter.

Even the gentlest of creatures will bear their fangs when wounded and suspicious. Azula has never been, nor will ever be, a gentle creature. Well not in front of others at least. Such things are not prized among the Nobility on the Caldera, for they see things such as _compassion_ as a weakness that needs to be snuffed out with extreme prejudice. 

Ty Lee knows she must be careful

Coaxing Azula to openly accept affection is akin to trying to feed a wild deer. It takes the legendary patience of the long dead Air Benders. One wrong move Azula could startle, retreating into a place from where she might never return and Ty Lee cannot follow.

Ty Lee and her father had found an abandoned feral kitten in their garden once. It had hidden in a hole in the wall, trapped between being too scared to come out and wanting protection and food. She resolves to approach Azula much in the same way, with cautious minuscule steps, gently encroaching on her personal space.

She lets the Princess snarl and hiss and puff up, because Ty Lee knows just like the feral kitten -deep underneath the prickly exterior- Azula desperately seeks comfort. It must be handled and navigated with the utmost delicacy because -unlike the feral kitten- one well aimed strike from Azula can be fatal.

She doesn't bring attention to the Princess trying to stifle her cries, or how her usually bright eyes are red rimmed and dull. Or how her voice -usually so full of confidence and ringing out clear- is rough and thick, or how she hurriedly tries to wipe her cheeks and control the sniffles so eager to present herself as regal and otherworldly.

Ty Lee might not be a fearsome bender like Azula, or have a penchant for blades, but she is brave and she will not look away. And it is with that same bravery she forces her trembling hands to grab the corner of the comforter, refusing to allow Azula to hide any longer.

Ty Lee swallows a gasp. 

The Princess's feet are a mangled mess. 

The blood on the sheets is overwhelming. It is a mixture of smudges that remind her of an undernourished calligraphy brush sweeping drying ink on parchment and crystal clear footprints as plain as being imprinted in mud.

Ty Lee wrestles control over her stomach. She is grateful that she has not eaten yet because she has no doubt that the contents would end up on the floor and she would probably receive a brutal punishment for throwing up all over the Princess -no _Crown Princess_ now.

It is born of both parts revulsion that someone could do something so cruel to a child, and also the sight of the lurid bandages so clumsily applied; a pitiful sodden red mess.

She simply states the obvious. "You're hurt..."

There comes no scathing retort, which is far more disturbing than it ought to be but not half as disturbing as the ghoulish, strained smile that stretches over the Princess's face -waxy and pale- or the way the injury is brushed off. 

"I was careless during training. Nothing more."

Never blinking, Ty Lee hears the unspoken words. 

In Azula's golden eyes, there's pleading with shades of desperation that Ty Lee has begun to see more of late. It is only ever briefly, then in a split second it is gone like it never existed as fast an electric eel flaring then retreating to the safety of its hideout.

Mai doesn't notice, too busy comforting Zuko over the inexplicable disappearance of the Royal sibling's mother, but Ty Lee does.

She sees what Ozai takes from Zuko in cruel cool indifference and out right derision, he extracts from Azula in flesh -blood and soul- flaying it slice by slice like Azula's shredded feet.

And Ty Lee wonders what will he take when there is nothing left?

And the worst part? The cruelest part of all, is the reasons Ozai has convinced Azula, _why_.

_Because Azula is a prodigy! Because it is for her own good! And because, he loves her!_

The burns, the scars, the lashings, the repetition to near exhaustion. All of which Azula is convincing herself is the physical proof of that _love_!

Ty Lee might not be book smart like Azula or savvy like Mai but she knows no parental love is meant to do _that_.

That ghoulish smile, so strained and pale stretched over the Princess's face, sickens Ty Lee to her stomach.

It's the grimace of a person hanging over an abyss desperately clawing at the emergency rope that is the frayed edges of their sanity. 

Azula doesn't know that during their sleepovers -they have become more frequent since Ursa's disappearance- Ty Lee remains stock still pretending to be asleep and listens to the Princess whisper over and over _"He loves me."_ so desperately it's like a mantra of conviction; a begging prayer of a dying man.

Ty Lee knows no amount of hoping will ever make it true.

She knows Azula won't allow her to comfort her but she _might_ allow her take care of her feet?

With a clear objective in sight, Ty Lee runs. The quicker she can alleviate the pain the Princess is in, the better. 

She sneaks into the Royal Physicians office and gathers all the supplies she has learned she will need in their field First Aid lessons at the Fire Academy for Girls. Fresh bandages, gauze and slave to stop infection. After some hefty searching she finds poppy milk high up on a shelf and she dumps more gauze and a small pair of scissors into the small bag for good measure then silently slips out of the room before she is caught.

The bandages and gauze she can lie about, saying she wants to practice to do better at school -preferring healing over causing hurt- but the _poppy milk_ might take some explaining and may draw the curiosity of an adult. An adult who might ask questions, and she doesn't want to be responsible for the Princess incurring her father's wrath any further.

When Ty Lee returns, she finds Azula hasn't moved and she hopes she hasn't rolled a spider-snake eyes choosing to leave without a word. Her heart skips a beat when she catches the look of relief on Azula's exhausted face. 

It has the fleeting life span of a firefly, burning out almost as soon as it threatened to flourish quashed by the airs and graces of a royal. 

It's far easier to take than the mask Azula usually wears.

She is surprised yet pleased that she was correct in her thinking when Azula allows her attend to her feet. Little whimpers escape the Princess as Ty Lee works, even though she is extra careful not to press too hard. 

Examining the soles of Azula's feet, the merchant's daughter can see why. Some of the lacerations are so deep that they will continue to weep unless bound. Luckily, the edges of the cuts are clean slices that will knit together seamlessly. 

But she cannot look away from the clear crystal water that is marred by red coils of suffering. Ty Lee must swallow the lump in her throat and hide the tears of anger, that like a firebender's flame is so hot she is afraid they might scald the Princess if they fall upon her alabaster skin. Every flinch wrenches another sob from deep within that must remain buried for fear that Azula will retreat from her. 

Ty Lee cannot show weakness, especially in the form of pity.

The poppymilk seems to help, as Azula's scathing retorts and snarls become muted and she seems to respond to Ty Lee's soothing coos -a skill she had learned from a nursemaid who had once attended Ty Lee's scraped knee. 

As she tries to steady her hand so she can surreptitiously apply the salve and hold the gauze in place whilst she secures it with bandages, Ty Lee doesn't know whose benefit she is making the sounds for, her own frayed nerves or the Princess's.

Words are tumbling from her lips under Azula's quiet scrutiny as she works. Such intense focus makes Ty Lee's cheeks turn pink and she explains in a soft voice why she's applying them.

Framing it as a learning experience is a stroke of genius, Ty Lee thinks. Leaning something new that could have uses in the future is far easier for Azula to accept than _help_.

She quickly cleans everything away, hiding the disgusting bowl of bloodied water and ruined bandages from sight.

Afraid that Azula's toes will get cold from lack of use or bad circulation, she struggles for something to cover them with. Something to hide the mocking reminder of a father's _love_.

Her eyes fall to her own mismatched socks. 

_Yes! They will do! They will keep Azula's feet warm and stop the bandages catching whilst she rests._

Ty Lee peels them off, gingerly stepping onto the cool floor. 

They are warm and soft in her hands. At first, Azula fusses and whinges but once they are on -similar to the feral kitten whose hisses of blustering complaint had eventually given way to half hearted growls punctuated by uncontrollable deep rumbles in its tiny chest- all pretense evaporates and the Princess leans into the comfort.

Ty Lee crawls into the bed beside her. She doesn't know what else to do. She does not want the Princess to wake up alone, terrified and hurting. Nor does she want to leave the Princess alone, fearful of what might happen. Ty Lee does not know what sort of guard she can be, but she will try her best. She will stay by Azula's side, watching over her in the _one_ place that she might find respite; in dreams rather than the waking nightmare that is slowly unfolding within the halls of the Palace now Ursa is gone. 

Like a nervous tic, Ty Lee cannot stop gently stroking Azula's hair and the base of her small skull. _The no touching hair rule is stupid and dumb_ , Ty Lee thinks -like many of the Caldera and noble rules of etiquette. She doesn't care and continues to do it anyway. It works like an anchor; a weighted moment in time. Nor does she -with heart hammering in her chest- stop the light press of lips to Azula's crown when she unexpectedly nuzzles closer, clinging to Ty Lee's narrow shoulders.

Under the blankets, they cast no shadow in their mutual cocoon. 

A moments rest. 

A chance to breath. 

Azula's begins to shallow and she wriggles closer still, until they are pressed so tightly in a tangle of limbs that it is nigh impossible to tell where one girl begins and the other ends. 

The soft material of socks rub very gently against Ty Lee's ankles where Azula's feet rest. It is almost soothing. 

Ty Lee feels the the question mumbled against her chest. 

"May I keep these, , , just for a little while?"

The desperate hopefulness, the almost timid way that it is asked pulls at Ty Lee's heart. She buries her face in Azula's hair to hid her sniffles and she presses another soft affectionate kiss to the top of the Princess's head, tightening her arms round Azula's small frame. "They are yours to keep forever, Zula."

She receives a brief squeeze in reply. The grip on Ty Lee's shoulders loosen. Azula's long dark eyelashes shimmer with moisture. "Don't leave me."

Ty Lee holds her tighter and whispers with all sincerity. "I will never let go."

Slipping beneath the waves of slumber, the princess becomes heavy and limp leaving hot _pufts_ of air on Ty Lee's goosebumping skin.

And it is a weight that she is willing to bear. 

Azula's face is strange, not strange as in unappealing -she has always struck Ty Lee as incredibly pretty- but strange as in the way that it morphs and moves or sometimes doesn't move at all. 

When she sleeps, it becomes softer. Youthful in the way that a child's is supposed to be, rather than the mature mask that Azula constantly wears. Like she is in some rush to be one. Ty Lee doesn't understand it. Most of the adults she knows seem annoyed all the time, scowling and sneering. _Maybe Azula's need to be seen as older than she is has something to do with the role of Princess that she must inhabit at all times?_

The Princess lets out a whimper in her sleep and the young acrobat croons against her ear. The furrowed brow smooths and Azula's lips turn up at the corners in a soft uncontrollable smile. 

Ty Lee's favorite parts of Azula is her smile. Not the one that is smug when she pulls off a bending move whose level is said to be far beyond that of a child, or the one twisted by malice when she pulls off a prank -usually at Mai or Zuko's expense- but the one that is reserved just for her or when she is wide eyed in wonder in the Archives. 

Her thoughts become muddled and drowsy as warmth coupled with exhaustion washes over her. 

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She startles awake when she feels a presence in the room. 

The sun has dipped beyond the mountains and the oil lamps dotted throughout the room remain inert allowing darkness to claim territory. 

She almost screams when a wizened ghoul appears looming out of the darkness, shadows cast by a lone flickering candle. 

The voice is like the dead in the crypts- dry and rasping. "How does the Crown Princess fair?" 

Ty Lee tries to sit up, but she is trapped beneath the still sleeping Princess. Gathering her wits about her, the merchant's daughter recognizes the woman as one of the creepy twins, Lo or Li. 

She scowls, tightening her grip on the Princess. _Are they not supposed to take care of Azula. Make sure that no harm comes to her?_ Instead, Ty Lee swallows her anger. 

She watches, warily, when the old woman sniffs the bottle of medicine. "Poppy milk?... Drugging the Princess carries the highest of penalties, you know?" 

Ty Lee replies, defiantly. "I don't care....She needed it!" 

Lifting the blanket, the old woman used the light from the candle to inspect Azula's feet. 

"I took care of it." muttering under her breath, she added. "No thanks to you." 

The old woman looked almost amused. "That is quite the temper, you have there." she tucked the blanket back round the two girls feet. "I would suggest learning to curb it, if you wish to survive within these walls." 

"I'm not saying sorry."

Lo or Li used the candle to light a number of lamps, bathing the room in a warm light. "I never asked you to." she shuffled off with hunched shoulders. "I shall have food, and fresh medicine sent shortly. But make sure she eats and her wounds are taken care of first." 

"Wait?" Ty Lee started. "You want me to do it?"

The wizened old woman smiled. "I am certain that she is in capable and _trustworthy_ hands. Though I could always call for the Royal Physician, if you do not feel up to the task."

"No!" Ty Lee almost shouts. She lowers her voice to a whisper when Azula begins to stir. "No...I will do it."

"That's what I thought. A word to the wise, the most successful royal companion are those that know the value of their place and the value of discretion." she left closing the door quietly behind her.

Ty Lee knows that she might not be good at a lot of things, but she knows how to pretend to be something she is not."


End file.
